PCB Lamination System Using Multi-Zone Air Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing of multilayer printed circuit boards (PCBs) is hindered by micro-particles from insulation layers causing contamination and defects like pits and dents on copper foil surfaces, leading to short circuits and low production yield, as existing methods struggle to maintain cleanliness during the lamination process.
Innovation Solution
A system and method utilizing a linear moving device and multiple operation areas with varying air pressures and cleanliness levels to ensure the copper foil sheets and steel plates remain clean, with a clean room environment for initial stacking, an intermediate area for dust reduction, and a dust-removing area to prevent contamination and accurately align layers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual visual inspection and cleaning of insulation layers is performed during layer stack-up, then some contaminants can be removed, but micro-particles of small-sized dust or impurities cannot be avoided and contact surfaces become contaminated
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process is segmented into distinct clean room areas (first clean room area for copper foil stacking, second clean room area for insulation layer stacking, third clean room area for final assembly) with different cleanliness levels. This spatial segmentation allows each stage to be optimized for its specific requirements, preventing micro-particle contamination at critical interfaces while maintaining ease of manufacture through specialized zones.
Solution Approach 2:
A dust-free cover plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the insulation layers and copper foil sheets. The cover plate is cleaned in advance and serves as a protective barrier during stacking, preventing direct contact between potentially contaminated insulation layers and the critical copper foil contact surfaces. This intermediary element effectively blocks micro-particle transfer while simplifying the manufacturing process.
2Reliability
If copper foil sheets and steel plates are arranged in a clean room environment, then contact surfaces remain clean, but alignment precision deteriorates when moved to general working environment
Solution Approach 1:
The stacking operations for copper foil sheets, insulation layers, and steel plates are merged into a single integrated process performed entirely within the clean room environment. By combining these operations and maintaining the assembled structure within the clean room throughout, the system achieves both surface cleanliness and alignment precision without requiring movement to general working environments.
Solution Approach 2:
Positioning holes are created through all layers (copper foil, insulation, steel plates) as copying reference points. These aligned holes serve as guides for subsequent stacking operations, ensuring that layers maintain precise alignment while the entire assembly remains in the clean room environment, thus preserving both cleanliness and manufacturing precision.
3Reliability
If multiple operation areas with different air pressures are used to maintain cleanliness, then contamination is prevented, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different air pressure levels are applied locally to specific clean room areas based on their contamination risk. The first clean room area (copper foil stacking) maintains higher positive pressure to prevent external contamination, while the third clean room area (final assembly) uses lower pressure. This localized quality approach prevents contamination effectively while minimizing overall system complexity by applying pressure control only where necessary.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively prevents contamination, reduces defects, and significantly improves the yield of high-quality circuit boards by maintaining cleanliness throughout the PCB manufacturing process, increasing the production yield from 80% to 95%.
Implementation Method 1
The first, second and third operation areas include independent air conditioners and are set at a first, second and third air pressures, respectively, and the first air pressure is greater than the third air pressure
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention involves systems and methods for forming board multi-layers of multilayer printed circuit boards. The board multi-layers include an upper cover plate, an upper copper foil sheet, multiple intermediate layers, a lower copper foil sheet and a lower cover plate. The method comprises steps of providing first, second and third operation areas set at first, second and third air pressures, respectively, wherein the third operation area is arranged between the first and second operation areas, and the first, second and third operation areas include independent air conditioners; providing an operating platform configured for a stack-up operation to form the board multi-layers thereon; providing a linear moving device configured to move the platform among the areas; stacking the upper and lower cover plates and the upper and lower copper foil sheets in the first operation area; and stacking the multiple intermediate layers in the second operation area.